Expanded graphite.



JONAS w. AYLSWORTH, or EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, AssIeNon TO connnusrrn COMPANY or AMERICA,-OF BnooMrmLn, EW, JERSEY, A eonroan'rronorNEw JERSEY.

To all whom it may concern.

a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and 'useful Improvements in Expanded; Graphite, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a novel form of graphite and to a process for making the same. I

By my invention I change the physical condition of flake graphite, so that, after the treatment I give it, it is greatly expanded in volume, with all ofthe many small leaves or laminae of which each flake is composed opened up and separated like the leaveaof,

an open or partly open" book, without, how'- ever, being completely detached from .eacli other. This separation is apparently accompanied by the entrapping of gas or air I between the laminae of the expanded flakes,

r for improvements in expanded graphite and and results in'a graphite of reduced specific gravlty and greatly increased bulk or volume. This produet may be effectively employed in a number of uses, among themas a lubricant, either alone or in combination with fluid lubricants, such as oils, glycerin and water, in which it will. remain suspended or float on the surface-thereof My present'application is a division of my Patent No. 1,137,373, dated April 27, 1915,

compositions thereof." In the-said application, I have, described and claimed compositions formed by compounding the expanded graphite which is described and claimed herein with a binder and if desired with other substances to form an improved composition suitable for molding 1n V311011S forms. -One of the uses' of the expanded or flufly graphite claimed herein is the employment of the same as an ingredient of moldable compositions suitable fonthe manufacture of valve disks, seats, packing, bearings, brushes formotors and other electrical apparatus, and other uses'as described in the patent above referred to,

- Flake graphite, as mentioned above, consists of foliated particles or flakes, each of I which is composed of alarge number, probably many hundreds, of microscopically thin laminae superposed upon each other like the leaves of a closed book. The process of Specification of Letters Patent.

EXPANDED GRAPHITE.

-formingmy expanded or flulfy graphitei Be it known that I, J ONAS W. AYLSWORTH,

that the laminae comprising each particle or consists broadly in so treating the. graphite flake will be coated with a material of such a character that when subjected to heat the laminae will beseparated or opened up likethe leaves of a book, without, however, being Patented my 18, 1916.]

No Drawing. Original application filed May29, 1913, Serial llo. 770,689. Divided and this application filed December 4 1914. Serial No. 875,431.

process can be so adjusted that the degree to which the laminae shall be opened up may be closely regulated, to permit desired specific gravities to be obtained.

In carrying out thls process, 4 may first be'ground or otherwise reduced so that the particles thereof shall represent the the graphite I approximate size desired, and it may then be screened or sized to obtain a fairly even product. The graphite must not, however,

be reduced to'extreme fineness, or to an impalpable powder, since if'this is done the desired permanent expansion of the graphite will not be obtained. The graphite should not be reduced to particles so small as to pass through a ZOO-mesh screen, for

example. I now-subject the graphiteparr ticles to the action of a. strong oxidizing agent, such as a mixture of concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids, or equivalent. oxidizin solution. The graphite 1s heatedwith a su cient amountof the oxidizing fluid to cover and thoroughly wet it to a soggy mass, at a temperature of from 60 C. to the boiling point of the acidused, temperatures of from 100 C. to 130 O.being'eifective. Asuitable length of time for this-part of the'proc ess is from one quarter hour to four hours,

varying with the particular grade of graphite treated, the temperature of the oxidizing agents, and the amount of swelling desired in the final product. The graphite is then washed to remove the acids or salts and;

heated to approximately a red heat, orsay treatment the graphite swells enormously,

bellows, that is, the laminae of the flakes still adhering together at one or more edges or points, the laminae being seenunder the from 350 to 600 C. until there has been. suflicient expansion of the material. By this microscope to be distorted or curved. The increase in bulk varies within the limits mentioned in accordance with the extent of oxidation or treatment,, that is, the length of lating the extent of the treatment by the oxidizing agent,- or the oxidizing strength of the latter, the degree to which the increase in bulk of the particles. takes place may be quite closely controlled, so that the treated material may be made suitable, if desired, for floating upon or remaining suspended within a desired oil or other fluid lubricant. The oxidizing process coats the laminae of the graphite flakes with a substance which apparently is graphitic acid.

-As stated, enough of the oxldizing agent is used to thoroughly wet the graphite. I have found that the proportion of one part of the oxidizing agent to five parts of the graphite gives good results. If a mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid is used as the oxidizing agent, a ratio of three parts of sulfuric acidto one of nitric acid gives good results, and if nitric acid and'chlorate of potash are used, four parts of the nitric acid may be used to one part of the chlorate. This part of the process is carried on only long enough to coat the laminae with graphitic acid, and not long enough to convert any large portion of the graphite into graphitic acid. In the subsequent heating operation, the graphite swells, as stated, to many times its former volume, apparently because of the exploding or dissociating of the graphitic acid coating the laminae, the laminae being separated or opened up, but still being fastened together at the edges or corners, as is ap parent from microscopic examination. The chemical process apparently, therefore, consists in the partial conversion of the graphite into graphitic acid, and the decomposition of the latter, by heating to a lowred heat, to

produce the altered physical state of the original graphite, as noted.

,It has been previously proposed to purify natural graphite by first reducing it to a state of extremely fine subdivision, washing out the heavier impurities, heating with an oxldlzlngagent and afterward roasting it. The oxidizing step of this process apparently converted all, or practically all, of the extremely fine'graphite powder to graphitic acid, and the roasting did not resultfin the formation of permanently expanded graphnitric acid or an equivalent weight of sodium nitrate and 700 parts of strong sulfuric acid, by weight, at a temperature of between 100 C. and 130 C; The product is washed, dried, and then heated in 'a suitable retort or vessel to a temperature of about 500 C. until the puffing up or swelling of the graphite is completed. Care should be taken to allow for sufficient room for the expansion of the graphite, which requires a space of up to-about twenty-five times the original bulk, as previously stated. The washing after the .first heating, described above, may be dispensed with, if desired, if the oxidizing fluid contains no salts, the acid being evaporated.

In the claims where a film of gas is referred to as entrapped between the laminae,

the word-gas is to be understood as ineluding air.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows 1. As a new composition of matter, an improved flake graphite in whichthe attached laminae of which each flake is composed are opened up or partly separated, thecompos1- tion being of greatlyand permanently increased volume and decreased specific gravlty in comparison with natural untreated flake graphite, substantially as set forth.

2. As anew composition of matter, animproved flake graphite in which the attached laminae of which'each flake is composed are permanently opened'up or partly separated, with films of gas mechanically entrapped between the laminae, substantially as set forth.

3. The process of treating flake graphite for the purpose described, which consists in thoroughly subjecting the partlcles thereof to the effect of an oxidizing agent quentl' heating the flakes of graphite so.

treate to cause the graphitic acid to dissociate and the laminae to separate but remain attached, With jhe consequent considerable permanent increase in bulk of the graphite, substantially as set forth.

- 5.The process of treating flake graphite for the purpose described, which consistsin obtaining particles of a size too great to pass through a 200 mesh screen, then in thoroughly covering the particles with an oxidizing agent such that on application 0t heat the'particles will be greatly distended by the opening up of the laminae thereof like the-leaves of a partly opened book, and in t then heating the particles so treatedto rediness, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnesse this 3d day of December, 1914c JONAS W. AYLSWORTH Witnesses:

. DYER SMITH, 'L MoIN'rosH, 

